Research conducted among our readership indicates that only about half of you have a shop website.  For those of you who haven’t unleashed the power of the Internet as a shop tool, what are you waiting for? You already know that it’s an easy, fast way to find the information and answers you need to help you do your job, but it also can be an ideal conduit to connect with customers and prospects.  And, it allows them to come to you when it’s convenient for them, and as often as they’d like.

With the goal of providing you with ideas to create a content-rich, effective, user-friendly website, Babcox Research asked a sample of shop owner readers for their input on the topic.  Some of those responses are listed below.

 1. Service specialties.  Use the web as a “billboard” to advertise the repairs offered by your shop, highlighting those services in which you specialize.

2. Ability to make appointments.  Customers with busy schedules can log onto your website after hours to quickly, easily and conveniently schedule a repair.

3. Photos of shop / staff.  A picture is worth a thousand words, and, in this case, they can be the determinant of whether a prospective customer will give your shop a chance.  If they like what they see, you may attract a new customer in an instant.

4. Professionalism.  Announce your technicians’ qualifications.  Promote their ASE certifications. Identify special tools and equipment that allows your techs to diagnose vehicle problems and do the job right the first time.

5. Hours / days of operation, directions.  Make it easy for your customers to know the details about your business and how to get there.

6. Coupons / service specials.  Your website can be the perfect platform to advertise seasonal specials, run coupons and get the word out that you are working hard to earn your customers’ repeat business.

7. Community involvement.  Detail the ways you’ve reached out to others and are “giving back” to the community in which your shop operates.  Our business is a “people” business in more ways than one - and consumers tend to do business with people they know and trust.

8. Seasonal maintenance tips.  Complement shop-specific information with vehicle-related information that will help educate customers and position your shop as an “expert” place to do business.

9. Customer appreciation letters.  If you collect comments from satisfied customers, use these word-of-mouth referrals as another way to extend your message.

10. Question and answer feature.  Your website can host a forum where you can provide answers to customers’ questions for the benefit of all visitors to your website.  This section of your website can also feature a shop owner blog / opinion section.

Reprinted with permission of Babcox Publishing, Underhood Service July 2009.

Friddle: What is the best-selling car of all time?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: BMW’s logo represents their historical past in propeller engine production.  The white represents clouds, the blue for the sky, the lines between represent the propeller and the circle for the shape made when the blades are turning.

Friddle: What automotive company’s logo is derived from their history in manufacturing propeller engines for warplanes?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: The Chevrolet Bowtie Emblem

Last Week’s Friddle: Which American car company patented a soy-based, plastic-bodied automobile in 1942?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Henry Ford patented a plastic-bodied automobile in 1942.  The car was 30 percent lighter than conventional cars of his day.  Today many more plastics and composites are being used in the auto industry, although most car bodies are still made of metal.

Sometimes, the difference between a bad service experience and a good service experience depends on the integrity, finesse and interpersonal skills of the person behind the counter of the service establishment.  It’s their skillful approach of interfacing with customers that makes the sale and, better yet, keeps customers coming back - sometimes even after an unpleasant situation.

I can attest to that interpersonal “power.” One example that comes to mind is a recent trip to the post office during lunch where buying a book of stamps became a frustrating experience because of another customer - one that was turned around because of the postal worker’s skill in taking control of the situation. The male customer ahead of me in line wanted to overnight a document to his daughter.  He started talking to the postal counterperson about the importance of the document, why it had to be there overnight and why it must arrive by noon.  I don’t know if he knew that I was waiting in line behind him, or if he knew and just didn’t care.  He wanted to take his good old time, and it really didn’t bother me until his cell phone rang and he answered the call, while the clerk was still processing his order.

She had to wait for a break in his conversation to ask him questions, get his daughter’s address and ask for payment. It was obvious that he had a lack of respect for the clerk’s time, as well as mine. Sensing my frustration, the clerk made eye contact with me, as to indicate that she was doing everything in her power to speed things up.  He finally got off the phone, just as she was completing the transaction, so she wished him a good day.  Instead of leaving, he said he needed something   else - a book of stamps.  Maintaining my patience, I just shook my head in disbelief; I was in awe of how he could be so rude and then continue to think he was the only customer in the post office!

Finally, he left and the clerk empathized with me, apologized (even though it wasn’t her fault) and quickly handled my transaction - a simple one by comparison.  While I could have easily put that post office on my “list of places I’ll never go again, because of poor customer service,” I didn’t.  And, it was because of the way the postal clerk handled a difficult sitaution - how she impressively delivered great customer service to both customers, even though one of them was overly demanding and rude.  It made me realize that she truly cared about her job and her customers.  She knew the importance of making a good first impression and giving each customer 100% of her attention, and the impact that her actions would have in securing future business and repeat customers.

The moral here is that the efforts you make in taking care of your customers is one business imperative you can’t afford to minimize. The extra steps you take to deliveroutstanding service, from the moment your customers enter your shop, until the moment they leave, is added assurance that you will earn their long-time loyalty, respect and admiration. Give your customers several reasons to come back to your shop - reasons to want to do business with you.

Reprinted with permission of Babcox Publishing, ImportCar November 2008.

Friddle: Which American car company patented a soy-based, plastic-bodied automobile in 1942?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: How was it possible for Elmo to pass three cars traveling 70 mph, while he was going only 65 mph?

Jasper Engines & Transmissions is offering a special version of its remanufactured Complete 6.0L International Diesel engine for select applications.

This unique engine comes equipped with special head studs instead of standard head bolts for the following applications:

2003 Ford F250, F350, F450, F550 trucks with automatic transmission.

2004 Ford F250, F350, F450, F550 trucks with automatic transmission.

2005-2006 Ford F250, F350, F450, F550 trucks with automatic transmission.

“These engines are not being marketed as High Performance engines and by no means are we either encouraging or endorsing the use of any performance enhancing changes to the engine,” says Fred Ernst, JASPER Diesel Marketing Director. “But rather we recognize there seems to be a market for this because of some problems customers have seen with the OEM products in the field.”

“It is important to point out because of JASPER’s machining & assembly processes, latest head gaskets, all new head bolts & general improvements we incorporate into our standard remanufactured 6.0L engines, we do not experience the head gasket/head bolt related issues with our remanufactured engines,” added Ernst. “This is being offered only as an option for the customer who is less confident with the standard head bolt design.”

These engines are readily available for exchange, and are covered by JASPER’s standard 1-Year warranty for Complete engines. These special versions may be expanded to other 6.0L International applications in future months.

For more information on these and other JASPER quality remanufactured products, call 800-827-7455 or visit www.jasperengines.com.